By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
Sport Sawyer has helped turn the Washington Pam Pack into a winning program, and a team to be reckoned with in the Coastal Conference.
That didn’t go unnoticed by his peers.
The Pam Pack football coach, who will begin his seventh season at Washington in the fall, was nominated to participate in the East-West All-Star game. It will be played July 21 at Grimsley’s Jamieson Stadium in Greensboro.
“I was definitely surprised by it,” said Sawyer, who is 38-35 in six years at Washington. “There’s a lot of very good coaches out there. To be able to coach in that game is an honor.
“Being selected represents our whole coaching staff at Washington. We wouldn’t be successful without them. We all do this together and we do it the best way that we can.”
What makes it all the more special for Sawyer is that he’ll be able to coach with his friend, South Central’s Walt Davis, who is the head coach of the East squad.
“When I was a player with the Belhaven Bulldogs, I looked to the other side of the field and would see coach Davis with the Bath Pirates,” Sawyer said. “He’s had a great career with them, Northside, Manteo and South Central. I now coach against him.
“To coach with him is an honor. I have great respect for him, not only for what he does as a coach but how he interacts with his players. This has been a rewarding experience.”
Sawyer is joined on the East coaching staff by New Bern’s Bobby Curlings, West Craven’s Randy Murphy, South View’s James Dockery and Russell Weinstein of Roanoke Rapids.
The staff has met five times, pouring over DVD after DVD of players nominated by their coaches. Sawyer said it was a long process, but a rewarding one.
“We started last football season,” Sawyer said. “You start looking at players and looking at different positions. We look at it and try to pick the guys that will help our team.”
Sawyer is in charge of the wide receivers. The Pack coach said he and the rest of the coaches had to decide on four receivers out of 30 nominations.
“I’m looking for somebody who has very good hands, some speed and good route running,” Sawyer said. “I also talked with the coaches because we’re also looking for good young men.”
The receivers that made the cut were Panther Creek’s Graham Love, Southeast Raleigh’s Keith Tucker, South Johnston’s De’Tric (Dee) Williams and Te’vell Williams of Pine Forest.
“There’s a lot of good athletes and football players in the state,” Sawyer said. “You just look at what you’re trying to do on offense and defense. We picked four receivers out of 30 nominations. Each was a very good receiver. We just had to determine who had a little bit more.
“There’s some work to it. You just hope you made the right decision.”
The teams will report to Greensboro on July 14. Coaches will take players through two-a-days during the day, and various activities in the evenings.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Sawyer said. “I’m looking forward to learning from other coaches and how I can possibly bring that back to Washington.”
2010 OUTLOOK
Sawyer, who led Washington to a 6-6 record last year and another trip to the playoffs, has high expectations for next year’s Pam Pack squad.
“We had a good off-season,” said Sawyer, who led Washington to its first playoff victory in 10 years in 2008. “The young men have been working hard.
“We’re excited about the upcoming season. We’ve got guys like Marquin Hill, Kevin Chapman, William Ellegor and Johnny Broadway and we’re excited about that.”
The Pam Pack will hold a minicamp beginning June 14 at Washington High School. The camp will run from 6 to 9 p.m.